University merger 'could see Wales sleepwalk into educational disaster'

A university under threat of dissolution has warned that Wales could “sleepwalk into an unmitigated financial and educational disaster” if controversial merger plans are approved without a costed business case.

Barbara Wilding, chairwoman of governors at Cardiff Metropolitan University

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A university under threat of dissolution has warned that Wales could “sleepwalk into an unmitigated financial and educational disaster” if controversial merger plans are approved without a costed business case.

Cardiff Metropolitan University said it was “time for transparency” and called on the Welsh Government to make public more information into its planned reconfiguration of higher education in South-East Wales.

It follows claims made last week by the university’s chairwoman of governors, Barbara Wilding, that there is no evidence to support the need for a controversial three-way merger.

Ms Wilding said she had asked repeatedly that the Welsh Government presents a costed business case – but has since come to the conclusion it may not exist.

Cardiff Met has been earmarked for merger with Glamorgan and Newport universities in what would be one of the biggest collaborations ever seen in British higher education.

A consultation on plans to dissolve Newport and Cardiff Met was launched in the summer when Education Minister Leighton Andrews wrote to the institutions involved with details of the Welsh Government’s Strategic Outline Case.

Following a request by Cardiff Met for “substantial additional information”, Mr Andrews has since extended the consultation with key stakeholders into the New Year.

In a statement, Cardiff Met said its concerns “seem little different” to those raised by Scotland’s public spending watchdog.

A report published by Audit Scotland calls on the Scottish Government to explain its proposed shake-up of the nation’s further education sector.

Auditor General Caroline Gardner said ministers need to “clarify the costs and benefits of regionalisation, including structural reform, how these benefits contribute to its reform objectives, and how the costs will be funded.”

Responding, the Scottish Government said it would provide “a full assessment of the costs and benefits” of its planned reforms.

A spokesman for Cardiff Met said: “We note today’s news report in which Audit Scotland has raised concerns with the Scottish Government about its plans for reconfiguration of colleges in Scotland.

“In light of recent coverage regarding the proposed reconfiguration of higher education in South-East Wales, Cardiff Met would simply reiterate the two basic questions it is asking the Welsh Education Minister and his department: ‘Do you know the cost of the three-way merger?’ and ‘Have you estimated the risks associated with a three-way merger of Cardiff Met, the University of Glamorgan, and University of Wales, Newport?’

“If the answers to both is ‘yes’, then tell us.

"If the answer to both is ‘no’ then we leave it to others, and in particular, the Welsh taxpayers, to draw their own conclusions about the validity and transparency of the consultation process being carried out by the Welsh Government into the reconfiguration of the higher education sector in South-East Wales, as well as its potential impact.

“Our concerns seem little different to those of Audit Scotland, concerns we have been raising for the past year.

"It is time for transparency before Wales sleepwalks into an unmitigated financial and educational disaster.”

It is understood Ms Wilding recently met with Wales’ Auditor General Huw Vaughan Thomas to discuss the Welsh Government’s handling of the university merger plan.

A spokesman for the Welsh Government said no final decision had been taken and the matter was still subject to consultation.

“As the minister said in a recent written statement, we will be responding fully to that request and will make the materials, including the questions from Cardiff Met’s lawyers, available on the Welsh Government’s website in due course.

“It is important to note that the Wales Audit Office report of 2009 included observations on the need for reconfiguration of the higher education sector in South-East Wales.

"There have been a succession of reports over the last decade, culminating in the report by Sir Steve Smith published in July this year, which point the way to merger to create a single post-1992 institution in South-East Wales.”